Goals

For me, goal setting is very important.  When starting out at 282.5 pounds, losing ALL that weight was overwhelming and seemingly impossible.  So I made a bunch of goals.  There is a page somewhere on my blog with my former goals.

When I sat down to plan my re-start, I made new goals.  This morning I hit my first mini-goal.  Feeling pretty awesome.

I have also made a completion date.  I never gave myself an "I will be done by" date.  I think that was a missing element.  So the date is set, and I have a countdown ticker on my phone and I know how many days I have got to kick some fat.

Within that allotted time, I plan to lose 70 pounds to finally hit goal weight.  I have never been firm about my goal weight, but now I am.   When I did the math to figure out how much I have to lose each month until I get to that date, I was surprised.  It's not the 10 pounds per month that this perfectionist always tried to get. It's half that.

When I realized my goal is to lose 5-6 pounds a month, a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.  That just seems easier to obtain.  It gives room for life.  I like it.

Time to kick some fat!!

Goodbye Obesity, I'm Now Overweight

I hit another major goal. I have gone from being obese to overweight according to the BMI charts.
WOOT! Only 28 pounds until I'm in the normal category! Watch me do it!

100 Pounds Gone!!!!!!!

101.5 to be exact!!!

WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anything is possible. Just keep at it.

180's

I don't blog much anymore. I don't know why! I'm really kicking it right now with weight loss.

Anyway, I hit 189 pounds today. First time since 1993 that I've been in the 180s. I broke my "192" curse. I got to 192 in 2001 and again in January of this year. Both times I gained weight. The first time was stress and I gave up. This year it was the kidney stone surgery/depression/change of diet due to the kidney stones.

Well, since August 1st I've been hot and on the move. I busted that curse and plan on keep going all the way to goal--whatever that is. I updated my goal page, and I'm re-thinking what exactly my goal is. I still say I'll know it when I get there.

Unbelievable to think I'm in the 180s. Me. After all the grief, pain, and hard work: finally. I'm six and a half pounds from losing 100 pounds. I WILL be there soon.

My Goal Chart & A Big Favor!

So I was looking at my goal chart just now and it was disgusting. I've gained weight, I'm heavier than I was a year ago. Granted, not by very much--a couple pounds, but what the heck happened?

A whole year went by, I got to 192, then I went back up. Feeling very bad, being very hard on myself, my husband told me to cut myself some slack. That whole kidney stone business was brutal. It really was. I knew I felt bad, but now that I no longer have the pain and look back, I wonder how I made it through. Seriously. Plus I had two surgeries within this year segment. So while I'm not overly happy, I will cut myself some slack.

I'm eating well, exercising, saw the scale squeak a bit, but then it halted. I weigh everything, I eat the right salt/protein/fat/carbs, very few processed foods. I work out, I move more than I have in years. Not just exercise, but daily movement. Last week I had 124,534 steps, 54.92 miles. I remember the days where I didn't move, I sat. So the lifestyle is there, I'm making informed choices, and yet the scale doesn't budge, it just squeaks every now and again. Persevere. I'm just going to keep plugging away. It will move--it has to!

And life goes on. I really would like to start updating that goal chart again. I do not like being stuck, going backwards, being stuck again. Ready to kick this fat to the curb!

~~~

I have a really big favor. I'm going to blog more about this, but anyone who has read my blog for any length of time knows how much I love The FIRM--the Benson era Firms. Well, here's the deal. These instructors have done so much for me even though they don't know I exist. I would like to give back. Well, as it turns out, some are on Facebook and they do friend their fans. One of them is the wonderful LaReine Chabut. She asked me--yes, me personally!--to help spread the word about her Facebook page. Here it is: LOSE That BABY FAT. It is listed as TV show. I have not asked her about that, but will. Anyway, she's talented and one of the "safe, trustworthy" instructors. If you're on Facebook, please go to her site and "like" it. It would mean a lot to me. I do plan a longer post on her shortly, but just wanted to get that out there tonight. I've added her photo/link to the upper right-hand corner of the blog. For those who have just had babies, she's your gal! For those of us who have older kids, she's still our gal! Thank you for that!

March Goals

Welcome to the month of March, the promise of upcoming warmth and growth, and usually a big blizzard which melts quickly. All the ice houses are off our lakes, and it's just so promising to see. Come on, temperatures, rise!

I have two goals for the month of March.

1) Get over this depression.

2) Lose 5 pounds.

Not asking a lot. I've had deficits, enough to show real fat loss, but it's not showing on the scale. Story of my life lately. All I want is five pounds.

And the depression is getting really old. I believe it to be situational (the damned kidney stone diet) and also typical for me in the month of February. It's a bad case of spring fever. The kidney stone diet is really upsetting my world, though, no matter how hard I try to be positive about it. I just do not think it's healthy for my lipids/heart because I have to eliminate too many healthy foods. Plus it's damned depressing reading blogs, seeing photos and recipes of...you guessed it, foods I can't have.

While I'm whining, I am pretty darned sick and tired of drinking a glass of water every stinking hour. Well, the drinking isn't the bad part, I'm tired of visiting the bathroom so often. I average every 20 minutes. If I have to leave the house, I let up on the drinking because you have not lived until you've peed your pants a little while running to the bathroom in the local grocery store. That's no life. Life must go on and I have to shop, so I don't drink a couple hours before I have to go out. I can make up for it when I'm home.

Grumble.

Thursday Ramblings and Fantastic Goals

Today was sleepy day. I took a two-hour nap after breakfast, and a two-hour nap after supper. Tummy has gone down quite a bit but now it's feeling sore. My puffiness is still there but better--noticed huge bruising on my inner leg. DH and I wondered if I it happened during surgery, yet we didn't notice it until today.

Overall, though, I feel pretty great. Haven't taken a narcotic since Tues night and won't. I hate that dopey feeling. I don't need to as I don't have pain--just mild soreness/tenderness.

Tonight since I couldn't work out I watched Christi Taylor DVDs. lol Some people watch TV at night. Me? I watch exercise DVDs. I just love her step DVDs.

I'm ready to gear up and bring this home. I'm ready to lose the final weight and start the big project: maintaining. My goals are to really amp up my fitness. I'm going to give myself two weeks once I'm cleared to work out to build back up. After that, I'm starting Cathe's STS for weights, and I'm going to do cardio doubles. I am so happy with my fitness level right now--how I've recovered from this surgery just says it all to me: I'm fit. I just want to be more fit.

I want to be an athlete. Or athletic.

This morning I was at 209. Proof puffiness subsiding, slowly. In my mind I'm figuring 210, and I've kind of made a "real" goal of 150. I never wanted to have a real goal, it seemed too far off. Now it seems obtainable. So I am figuring 60 more pounds and I'm good. Of course I'll know better when I get there, but 150 is a nice, concrete number to aim for.

Time. Time has been my enemy in my mind this whole journey. I've compared myself to everyone all along, thinking I'm so slow. Well, I'm going to give myself a year to lose 60. So I hope to be at goal by my 46th birthday. I think that's a very fair, healthy and realistic goal. Takes pressure off -- pressure that I put on myself.

I'm getting psyched. I can do this. I can and I will. Time to get to goal.

Official: Size 16

Today I put my size 16 jeans on, they zipped right up, and off I went into the world.

So it's official, I am now a size 16. The last time I posted, I had to lie down on the bed to zip them.

Here's the weird thing: I bought these 7 years ago when I lost 70 pounds. I was in the 190s by the time I was able to wear these jeans. I only wore them a very short time before I started gaining wait again. So I'm 30ish pounds heavier--

this proves a point:

I AM losing fat. The scale cannot reflect the fat loss. Obviously I'm gaining muscle.

So even though I get down about that stupid scale, what I'm doing is working. In fact, it's working very well if I'm 220 pounds and wearing a size 16.

I'm FIT!

Woot!

Monday Morning Weigh-In/2009 Results

I know, I said I wasn't going to weigh in from now on except on a monthly basis. I've been sneaking a few peeks here and there, and the darned scale always says 223.

Well, this morning I figured I'd hop on so I could have a total pounds lost in 2009 figure. Plus I was worried about my cookie episode.

Hmm, finally the scale has moved.

222.5
Total lost for 2009: 60
10 1/2 months

I've met another 5-pound goal. I have dropped my BMI in 2009 from 47 to 37.

My fitness has improved dramatically!

What a great year it has been. I think one of the best parts of this journey has been meeting so many wonderful people on this same journey. I've learned a lot from my blogging friends, and I feel rich from the friendship and support.

Here's to another great year for all of us! May I be blessed to lose another 60 in 2010.

Monday Weigh-In Day

254

-.5

.5!!!

What? A stinking half pound, again? I had a little hissy fit on my scale this morning. Sheesh, I stay within points during a stressful week, and I only get rewarded a stinking half pound?

Calm down. Think. Think logically. Yes, Jo, it all adds up. It's not a race. A half pound is GREAT. And it is! Really!

My "measly" half-pound loss today put me at a total of 28.5 lost, which means:

I have lost 10% of my original body weight!

Moral of the story: Don't fret over small losses. They are all a part of the big picture.

What a happy surprise to discover I hit an important goal today, 10%.

Obesity

I was just reading a new-to-me blog (Laurie at Laurie's Journey to Better Health) where she was talking about her goals. I share some of the same goals: getting to within a normal weight range. Don't we all! After reading her blog, I got to thinking about my goal chart, I don't think I put in obesity/overweight/normal weight range. I want to update that, because I just love reaching goals.

Right now, I am morbidly obese. It's hard to admit, and those are two very ugly words to me. I Googled to come up with a weight-range chart for morbid obesity, to find out when I will be obese and not morbidly obese.

I hit the Wikipedia site and learned something new.

Instead of underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese and morbid obesity, they have three stages of obesity. And to top that off, there are two stages of the third stage of obesity, which I didn't know.

Make sense?

If your BMI is:

< 18.5 you are underweight
18.5–24.9 you are within normal weight
25.0–29.9 you are overweight
30.0–34.9 Class I obesity
35.0–39.9 Class II obesity
> 40.0 Class III obesity

Any BMI > 40 is severe obesity
A BMI of 40.0–49.9 is morbid obesity
A BMI of >50 is super obese

Okay, so my BMI right now is 43.4 which puts me in the Class III/morbid obesity range still. I started out at a 47.

So now I get to update my goal chart to include the various stages of obesity as mini-goals. I never knew there were classes to that at all.

To get to a 39.9, CLASS II OBESITY, I will have to weigh 240.

To get to 34.9, CLASS I OBESITY, I will have to weigh 210.

To get to 29.9, OVERWEIGHT, I will have to weigh 179.

To get to 24.9, NORMAL, I will have to weigh 149.

Wow, that's less than my current goal of 162. I'll worry about that when I get there. It is still unimaginable to me to get that low. I try to picture it in my mind, I look at old photographs, but it's so long ago and so foreign to me. I'm really working at forming a picture of it in my mind, though.

These numbers are humbling and overwhelming. I don't think I could have made this chart when I started out, because it would have been too depressing. I'm thrilled to be reaching each 5-pound goal I have, and I'm coming up on a 25-pound goal, too. I have to think small otherwise it would just get me down. And I don't need down. I'm feeling so much better now, I don't want anything to spoil that!

I Should Be in Bed!

But I'm not.

Went to Wally World tonight. I felt so weird walking through the store. Weird in that I felt really good. It was so foreign to me. I'm feeling more energy every day, I feel thinner but a glance in the mirror reminds me I have a long way to go yet.

I can't believe how quickly I'm feeling better. Exercise and positive attitude are behind it, I think.

~~~~~

I always wanted to explain my About Me photo. This photo is me. I was 2-3 years old, so it was in 1967 or 1968. I wish I still had the blonde hair. I didn't know what photo to use when I set this blog up, and I was going through my old pictures and I saw this and the light bulb went on. One of my goals, silly as it may seem, is to be able to bend over. I still can't, I have to stick my leg out behind me and lean to that side because my belly is so large.

In this photo I am bending over. I was still young and innocent and healthy. Bending over is one of my goals. So every time I see it, I am reminded of my desire to bend.

Kicked My Butt

I did Richard Simmons' Sweat 'n Shout, also known as Sweatin' to the Oldies 4.

Why, I have no idea, but this was the hardest video for me. I was pouring sweat. The last two songs I marched in place with my arms down rather than doing the moves.

Anyone who knows Richard's videos, is this one harder to you? Or was it just my body saying NOOOO. lol

I look forward to the day that I can finish it. What a great way to measure success. For now I'll keep plugging away, doing what I can in a healthful manner.

I have exercised five days in a row. Not my 20-minute Blast Off tapes, not walking the dog (which has lots of starts and stops as he's a puppy and being trained), hour-long exercise videos. Woo-hoo.

I know I have to exercise daily for the rest of my life. My life depends on it, my health depends on it. It makes me feel good, and I actually, cough, sputter, enjoy it. I always have. It was just getting myself to do it.

I'm going to stick with Richard Simmons videos for awhile. I like him. I have over 20 videos, and I'm still waiting for my QVC order to replace my Sweatin' series with DVDs and add two more new DVDs to the mix. I like Richard. He motivates me. His music is great. He's fun. I know it time I'll need to vary things, but right now I'm good.

I also know I need to add some strength training in. I wanted to take a week or two and get used to doing cardio now. And face it, when you weigh 264 pounds and are doing leg and arm lifts, you ARE doing weigh lifting. lol

Here's a quote from my goals page:

exercise 20 minute 3-4 times a week
exercise 20 minutes 6 times a week
exercise 60 minutes 3-4 times a week
exercise 60 minutes 6 times a week

Now, I have blown the first two out of the water. I will continue. I thought I would have to build up to 60 minutes a day. Not so. I do a Richard video, and if I get tired or it's too much, I drop arms and march in place. I really haven't had to do that much until today. I can already feel my legs getting tighter. My quads are showing. Not ripped, but they're not jelly anymore when touched.

I'm psyched. I don't like the time it takes away from school. However, my DS works on his assignments at the kitchen table while I'm working out. So far it's working for both of us.

I'm happy. I'm pleased with myself. I'm proud of myself.

Goal Weight Changed

I changed my goal weight.

Originally it had been 172.5. That was out of the obese range, 110 to lose, and not so scary to me that it seemed impossible.

When I joined Richard's Clubhouse and input my information, they gave me a weight range with 162 beng the top. I chose 162. Weight Watcher's top for me was 150. That just seemed to skinny, too impossible to obtain. I think I can deal with 162.

When I get there, I may change it. For now, it's not too overwhelming. 18.5 down, 102 to go.

5 Percent Goal

I forgot to log my weight into WW Online yesterday. I just did, and I hit my 5% goal! I didn't even make a 5% goal on my personal goal chart, but I'm thrilled nonetheless!

Of course then I got a lecture about losing too fast. I'm not worried, looking at my stats, though. I've averaged 2 pounds a week. I don't count the first weigh-in where I lost 4, because there had to be water weight involved with that one.

I've Set a New Goal

Last night I mentioned I started reading a "fat" book that belonged to my mother. There are so many books out there to draw knowledge and information from, but when I went to the library at the start of this journey, I didn't feel like reading any. I also have spent some time on Amazon looking but did not purchase anything. This particular book is special to me because it was Mom's, and that's why I picked it up to read.

I knew from my experience as a homeschool blogger since 2005 that I could get better support and information from blog land than books. I have made some fantastic friends online, many who I have met in real life and many who I email with on a regular basis and talk on the phone with. It is has been tremendous support for me. Blogging a little over a month in the weight-loss blog land, I have already met some wonderful people, drawn incredible inspiration and knowledge and understanding.

I knew that I needed people to support me in this journey. One of my issues is loneliness. I am very lonely. I have friends, good friends, but none that live locally. I have lived in this small town 11 years and I still don't feel like it's home.

I considered going to Weight Watchers meetings again. I know the leader, we were in Cub Scouts together. I really like her. The meetings were okay, but with my anxiety issues, going to the meeting, finding a place to sit, and watching the clicks in the group click bothered me. I always sat alone. No one ever joined me. I never moved beyond my fear to sit next to someone. I didn't know anyone at the meetings. It was highly uncomfortable.

I stopped going to meetings and just went to weigh in. I would stay for a meeting if I was getting a star. I also stayed at their insistence when I got my 50-pound star. Getting applause for one's hard work is great, but yet I was still lonely and uncomfortable.

Back to now, I decided to not go to meetings. Cost was a factor. I've given WW a lot of money over the years. Time was another factor. The only meeting in my small town is at 6:30 on a Wednesday night. I found that my pattern was Wednesdays I wouldn't eat or drink water because of the upcoming weigh-in. That was not healthy. My ability to be comfortable in this particular group setting was another factor. It just wasn't there.

So this time I was going to do it on my own and turn to the internet for support. I started the blog, joined some groups, re-visited some of my favorite haunts from times gone by. I'm thrilled with the blogging results. This will work for me. The face of friendships is changing. We can now connect easily with people all over the world. I am thrilled with the people I have met and enjoy reading their journeys and sharing mine.

Then last night reading my Mom's book, in the first seven pages, I read this:

To recover from an eating disorder involves turning away from the
self-administered comfort of food and turning instead to nurturance from people.
Fat is a Family Affair, Judi Hollis Ph.D.

Great, I thought, I've done that. And I have, really: the blog. The thing is, I think I need to do that closer to home as well. In addition to. I've decided that soon, I need to face some of my fears and reach out to others not in blog land, but in my small town.

I don't want to join WW again. I signed up online by accident. I did the one-week free trial and forgot to cancel. So I'm paid up for a couple more months. Frankly, I like the recipe builder so I think I'll just continue. I could go to a meeting, join eTools and drop WW online to save some money, but I think I'm okay this way.

Next I looked up Overeaters Anonymous. No meetings in my small town, and the closest was 50 miles away. That won't work for a couple reasons: We have doggie training the night the meetings are on, plus I don't want to drive 50 miles for support--it kind of defeats the purpose.

On a blog I've been reading, she talks about TOPS. I looked that up. Yup, there's a TOPS meeting in my town. While I'm not thrilled with weekly weigh-ins, at least it's in the morning. I don't know a lot about TOPS but maybe it's a small enough setting that it wouldn't overwhelm me, and maybe they'll get into the mind issues that I so desperately want to work on. The bad thing is it's in the morning and we school in the morning, but my son is old enough to do his assignments without mother hen watching over him. He is a teenager. I could get away for an hour.

So this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to go out at the next meeting time, blend in with the crowd (it's at our library) and watch to see who goes in. I sound like a stalker, don't I? It's a mind game with me. I will see it's just normal people, who are probably nice, and it will build my confidence. Then I might go or I might wait until the next week and go.

I can try it. If I don't like it, I don't have to continue. I do know this: If I don't push myself, I will never grow. The worst thing that could happen? I could hate it. So then I quit. The best: I could meet some people, get out of the house, push myself, and perhaps learn a thing or two.

First Goal Met

I met my first goal of losing 5 pounds. 21 more of those to go. =)

In losing just six pounds, I also dropped my BMI from 47 to 46.

Emotionally I'm feeling very strong.

Physically--pretty much the same. This one will take time. I have lots of pain: back, bowel, joint, etc. I need to incorporate exercise, that will help with the pain.

I'm well on my way.

I'm very determined. I'm not going for vanity (although that's a nice benefit) I'm doing this to feel better. I want my blood work to be good. I want to have a strong, healthy heart. I want to have one pain-free day. And then another. And so on. I want to be healthy.

I'm doing this solely for me. In this case, it's good to be selfish.

Goals

~~Goals~~

Goal:............................................ Obtained:
Weight:
277.5 = 5-pound loss 3-2-09!!!!!!!
272.5 = 5-pound loss 3-16-09!!!!!
267.5 = 5-pound loss 4-6-09!!!!!!!
262.5 = 5-pound loss 4-27-09!!!!!
257.5 = 5-pound loss 5-18-09!!!!!!!
257.5 = 25-pound loss total (25) 5-18-09!!!!!252.5 = 5-pound loss 6-22-09!!!!!
247.5 = 5-pound loss 7-13-09
242.5 = 5-pound loss 8-10-09
237.5 = 5-pound loss 9-7-09
232.5 = 5-pound loss 9-28-09
232.5 = 50-pound loss total (50) 9-28-09
227.5 = 5-pound loss 11-5-09222.5 = 5-pound loss 12-28-09
217.5 = 5-pound loss 2-1-10212.5 = 5-pound loss 2-22-10207.5 = 5-pound loss 4-12-10
207.5 = 75-pound loss total (75) 4-12-10202.5 = 5-pound loss 7-13-2010
197.5 = 5-pound loss 10-4-2010
192.5 = 5-pound loss 10-10-11
187.5 = 5-pound loss 10-24-11
182.5 = 5-pound loss 11-7-11
182.5 = 100-pound loss total (100) 11-7-11
177.5 = 5-pound loss 11-21-11
172.5 = 5-pound loss
167.5 = 5-pound loss
162.0 = 162 = GOAL
11-14-11 Um, great initial goal when things seemed overwhelming to me! 162 isn't going to cut it at this point. I don't have a specific weight in mind, but I have a feel in mind. I want to look good in clothes, but more importantly, I want a very FIT body. I want muscle. Will reach goal when I feel I am where I need to be...to be announced!!!


PERCENTS:
254 = 10 percent 6-8-09!!!
226 = 20 percent 11-23-09
197 = 30 percent 10-4-2010
For now, I am choosing to a goal of 172.5 pounds. I may go beyond when I get there, but it's overwhelming to think lower than that. (Changed to 162.5)
169.5 = 40 percent
141 = 50 percent
To get to a 39.9, CLASS II OBESITY, I will have to weigh 240. Obtained 8-16-09 on my six-month anniversary!!! I am NO longer morbidly obese!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To get to 34.9, CLASS I OBESITY, I will have to weigh 210. 3-8-10
To get to 29.9, OVERWEIGHT, I will have to weigh 179. 11-21-11
To get to 24.9, NORMAL, I will have to weigh 149.



Clothing-size goals:
(going by pant size here) (the last time I lost, it took a long time before I dropped clothing size.)

22-24 starting size
20 August -0918 Some size 18s in August 0916 1-17-10
14 11-7-11!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
12  5-15-2012!!!!!!!!!!Being below a size 14 is incomprehensible to me today. Will update when I get there.
The above was my original post. Now being below a 14 is NOT incomprehensible to me, it is something I WILL experience. Will update size changes as they occur here!
Exercise goals:
exercise 20 minute 3-4 times a week
exercise 20 minutes 6 times a week
exercise 60 minutes 3-4 times a week
exercise 60 minutes 6 times a week Started daily workouts 4-18-09!!!
go for short walks with the dogs*
go for long walks with the dogs

*This is weather-dependent. I cannot walk on ice. I fear falling. It's either a psychological quirk of mine, or the fact I have no balance because I'm so fat. It could also be the fact that I am not graceful and have been known to fall while walking on flat, dry pavement.


Misc. goals:
Feel better tons!
More energy tons!
Being able to bend comfortably oh yeah!
Sit on the floor comfortably oh yeah
Flexibility greatly improved
Sleep better much better
Eat more fruit yup
Eat more veggies yup
Eliminate High Fructose Corn Syrup vastly improved
REDUCE REAL AGE
On March 26, 2009, I took the Real Age test. At 43.7 years old, I scored an age equivalent of 58.4. My goal is to greatly reduce that!
On May 3, 2009, I took the Real Age test. At 43.8 years old, I scored an age equivalent of 52.4, shaving 6 years off! Woo-hoo.

On September 25, I tookthe Real Age test. At 44.2 years old, I scored an age equivalent of 48.2. I shaved off another 4 years 2 months. Woo hoo!